Research

How do we form impressions of others?

A first major focus of the Seeing Human Lab is examining how impressions arise as a combination of others' features (e.g., eyes, nose, skin color) and perceivers' characteristics (e.g., affective state, ideology, cognitive traits). Specifically, we examine how this process might vary across different groups boundaries (e.g., gender, race, age, minimal groups).

What is the real world impact?

How do these (mis)perceptions manifest in the real world? In what domains (e.g., dating, hiring, voting) are our perceptions of others likely to influence our behaviors? When are our stereotypes and biases particularly likely to change our behaviors? A complementary research trajectory adopts a geographic approach, examining how the emergent psychological characteristics of thousands of people in a given area influence regional outcomes.